“Polluting” Recycling Company in Minn. May be Shut Down

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is working on revoking the air quality permit for Northern Metal Recycling, a recycling company that’s currently being accused of polluting the air in the North Minneapolis region.

The MPCA thinks the company may have provided inaccurate information when it received its air quality permit in 2012. Since 2014, Northern Metal has repeatedly violated the state’s air quality standards.

To speed up the process of trying to resolve this pollution issue, the MPCA has filed a temporary injunction against the recycling company, which would force the company to pause its metal shredding operations if granted.

ABC has more information on this pollution issue:

The state is taking rare legal steps to shut down a recycling company accused of polluting the air in North Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency confirmed to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that it is in the process of revoking the air quality permit for Northern Metal Recycling. The MPCA also filed for a temporary injunction Thursday in Ramsey County Court that would force the company to immediately halt its metal shredding operations.

The MPCA believes the company may have provided misleading information while obtaining its air quality permit in 2012 and has repeatedly violated state air quality standards since 2014.

“Moving to close a facility and revoke their permit is a very rare step for the MPCA," MPCA Assistant Commissioner David Thornton said in a statement.